Java - Comparator, sorting arrayLists

Hi

So as you might guessed i am trying to sort my arrayList of scores.

I have been instructed to look at the comparator and compareTo().
And i have really been trying, i tried to look at examples, guides and the API.

But it just wont stick, i just cant figure out where to put the compareTo and how to implement it.

Is there any kind soul out there who could try to point/show/tell how i can get this to work?

Best regards
//Martin

Code:

---

import java.util.*;

public class Game {
       
        public static void main(String[] args) {

                /*ArrayList<Score> scores = new ArrayList<Score>();
               
            Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);*/
            {
                    guessNumber newGame = new guessNumber();
                    newGame.Start();
            }
        }
}

---

Code:

---

import java.util.*;


public class Score {
       
        int theScore = 0;
        double theTime = 0;
        String playerName;
       

        public Score (int theScore, double theTime, String playerName){
                this.theScore = theScore;
                this.theTime = theTime;
                this.playerName = playerName;
                }
       
        public String toString(){
               
                String highScorelist = (playerName + "\t" + " " +  theScore + "\t" +" " + ((int)theTime/1000));
                return highScorelist;
        }
}

---

Code:

---

import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;

public class guessNumber {


    public void Start() {

           
        Random random = new Random();
        boolean playAgain = true;

        String answer = "Yes";
        String quit = "Quit";

        ArrayList<Score> scores = new ArrayList<Score>();

        while (playAgain == true)
        {
                System.out.println("\nWelcome to Guess the Number!!");
                String name;
            int guess = -1;
            int tries = 0;
            int number = random.nextInt(1000) + 1;
            System.out.println(number);
                Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
            System.out.println("\nPlease guess a number between 0 and 1000: ");
           
                while (guess != number){
            long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
            String guess1 = input.next();
           
           
            if (guess1.equalsIgnoreCase(quit))
            {
                    System.out.println("Thanks for playing!");
                    System.exit(0);
            }
           
            try {
                    guess = Integer.parseInt(guess1);
            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
                    System.out.println("Please enter a \"Number\" between 0 and 1000: ");
            }

           

            if (guess > number && guess < 1001) {
                System.out.println("Your guess is too high, try with a lower number: ");
            tries++;
            }
            else if (guess < number && guess >= 0) {
                System.out.println("Your guess is too low, try with a higher number: ");
            tries++;
            }
            if (guess <-1 || guess > 1001) {
                System.out.println("Try between 0 and 1000 instead: ");
            }
           
            if (guess == number) {
                System.out.println("\nCorrect!");
            tries++;
            long endTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
                        long gameTime = endTime - startTime;
   
           
           
            System.out.println("\nYou guess the correct answer in " + tries + " tries and " + (gameTime/1000) + " seconds" );
               
            System.out.println("\nEnter your name: ");
            name = input.next();
           
                        Score currentScore = new Score(tries, gameTime, name);
                        scores.add(currentScore);
                                       
                System.out.print("\nPlay again? (Yes or No)" );
                name = input.next();

                if (answer.equalsIgnoreCase("Yes")) {
                        System.out.println("\nHigh Score\nName \t Guess \t Time");
                        for (int i = 0;i < scores.size(); i++)
                                    {
                                    System.out.println(scores.get(i));
                                   
                        playAgain = true;
                                    }
                }
                else if (answer.equalsIgnoreCase("N")) {
                    playAgain = false;
                }
                else {
                    playAgain = false;
                }
                if (playAgain == false) {
                System.out.println("\nThank you for playing!"); 
               

                }
            }
                }
        }
    }
       

   
   
   
}

---

We shouldn't do this for you, and for us to be able to help you, we need to better understand what mistakes you're making, and so you probably should show us your attempt to use Comparable or Comparator.

Well since i dont know where to put it its hard to try.

Maybe you know of some tutorial i missed, some other work out there that has what i am seeking so i can study that and learn that way.

Because checking the API i really cant figure it out, i might be dumb or what nots, but the API just isnt doing it for me this time.

There are several decent tutorials that you can find if you search Google for Java Comparable Tutorial

To get you started, I recommend that you have Score implement the Comparable<Score> interface and give it a compareTo method that takes another Score object. The key will be what you put in this compareTo method.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kerrai

Because checking the API i really cant figure it out, i might be dumb or what nots, but the API just isnt doing it for me this time.

---

Also, if you have any specific questions about aspects of the API or tutorials, please ask. Those are questions we can usually answer well.

Hello again

So i have tried to fix this now, and what i came up with was

Code:

---

import java.util.*;


public class Score implements interface Comparable<Score>{ 
        int theScore;
        double theTime;
        String playerName;

        public Score (int theScore, double theTime, String playerName){
                this.theScore = theScore;
                this.theTime = theTime;
                this.playerName = playerName;
                }
        public int getScore() {
        return theScore;
    }

    public String getName() {
        return playerName;
    }
    public int getTime() {
            return theTime;
    }
       
        pulbic int compareTo(Score sc1) {
                if(getScore() < sc1.getScore()) return -1;
                if(getScore() > sc1.getScore()) return 1;
                return 0;
        }


        public String toString(){
               
                String highScorelist = (playerName + "\t" + " " +  theScore + "\t" +" " + ((int)theTime/1000));
                return highScorelist;
        }

                       
}

---

But this seems to do nothing at all.
It also feels like i am missing something, somewhere.. i just cant think of what. It feels like i am blinded by my code..
Am i on the right track or am i lost in limbo and just stabbing a dead bull here?

It's looking a LOT better, and in fact I think your use of Comparable is spot on -- well done! Now all you have to do is fill up the ArrayList<Score> with data, and then sort it. The list can be sorted via the Collections.sort(List list) method.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fubarable

It's looking a LOT better, and in fact I think your use of Comparable is spot on -- well done! Now all you have to do is fill up the ArrayList<Score> with data, and then sort it. The list can be sorted via the Collections.sort(List list) method.

---

I played around with the Collection.sort a little.

But where ever i put it it didnt seem to do anything.

Any hint on where this should be put?
Or does it require its own method in one of my classes?

btw, thanks a lot for the helpful "get me started" tip, it really helped.

The only recommendation I can think of giving you is that you call the sort method after the arraylist is full of the data that needs to be sorted. That's it. If it still doesn't work, please post your code where you try to use it.

Well. i want to put it here

Code:

---

if (answer.equalsIgnoreCase("Yes")) {
                        System.out.println("\nHigh Score\nName \t Guess \t Time");
                        Collections.sort(scores);
                        for (int i = 0;i < scores.size(); i++)
                        {
                        System.out.println(scores.get(i));
                        playAgain = true;
                                    }
                }

---

(i hope thats enough code?)

But if i put that in the guessNumber class i get an error called
Bound mismatch: The generic method sort(List<T>) of type Collections is not applicable for the arguments
(ArrayList<Score>). The inferred type Score is not a valid substitute for the bounded parameter <T extends
Comparable<? super T>>

So its either wrong, or something else is wrong.
But if i put it somewhere in the Score class nothing happens.

I think you'll need to post all your code.

Alright

Game Class, that "starts" the program

Code:

---

import java.util.*;

public class Game {
       
        public static void main(String[] args) {

                ArrayList<Score> scores = new ArrayList<Score>();
            Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
            {
                    guessNumber newGame = new guessNumber();
                    newGame.Start();
            }
        }
}

---

guessNumber class where the magic happens.

Code:

---

import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;

public class guessNumber {


    public void Start() {

           
        Random random = new Random();
        boolean playAgain = true;

        String answer = "Yes";
        String quit = "Quit";

        ArrayList<Score> scores = new ArrayList<Score>();
        while (playAgain == true)
        {
                System.out.println("\nWelcome to Guess the Number!!");
                String name;
            int guess = -1;
            int tries = 0;
            int number = random.nextInt(1000) + 1;
            System.out.println(number);
                Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
            System.out.println("\nPlease guess a number between 0 and 1000: ");
           
                while (guess != number){
            long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
            String guess1 = input.next();
           
           
            if (guess1.equalsIgnoreCase(quit))
            {
                    System.out.println("Thanks for playing!");
                    System.exit(0);
            }
           
            try {
                    guess = Integer.parseInt(guess1);
            } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
                    System.out.println("Please enter a \"Number\" between 0 and 1000: ");
            }

           

            if (guess > number && guess < 1001) {
                System.out.println("Your guess is too high, try with a lower number: ");
            tries++;
            }
            else if (guess < number && guess >= 0) {
                System.out.println("Your guess is too low, try with a higher number: ");
            tries++;
            }
            if (guess <-1 || guess > 1001) {
                System.out.println("Try between 0 and 1000 instead: ");
            }
           
            if (guess == number) {
                System.out.println("\nCorrect!");
            tries++;
            long endTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
                        long gameTime = endTime - startTime;
   
           
           
            System.out.println("\nYou guess the correct answer in " + tries + " tries and " + (gameTime/1000) + " seconds" );
               
            System.out.println("\nEnter your name: ");
            name = input.next();
           
                        Score currentScore = new Score(tries, gameTime, name);
                        scores.add(currentScore);
                       
                System.out.print("\nPlay again? (Yes or No)" );
                name = input.next();

                if (answer.equalsIgnoreCase("Yes")) {
                        System.out.println("\nHigh Score\nName \t Guess \t Time");
                        Collections.sort(scores);
                        for (int i = 0;i < scores.size(); i++)
                        {
                        System.out.println(scores.get(i));
                        playAgain = true;
                                    }
                }
                else if (answer.equalsIgnoreCase("N")) {
                    playAgain = false;
                }
                else {
                    playAgain = false;
                }
                if (playAgain == false) {
                System.out.println("\nThank you for playing!"); 
               

                }
            }
                }
        }
    }
  }

---

Score class that handles the list

Code:

---

import java.util.*;


public class Score implements interface Comparable<Score>{ 
        int theScore;
        double theTime;
        String playerName;

        public Score (int theScore, double theTime, String playerName){
                this.theScore = theScore;
                this.theTime = theTime;
                this.playerName = playerName;
                }
        public int getScore() {
        return theScore;
    }

    public String getName() {
        return playerName;
    }
    public int getTime() {
            return theTime;
    }
       
        pulbic int compareTo(Score sc1) {
                if(getScore() < sc1.getScore()) return -1;
                if(getScore() > sc1.getScore()) return 1;
                return 0;
        }


        public String toString(){
               
                String highScorelist = (playerName + "\t" + " " +  theScore + "\t" +" " + ((int)theTime/1000));
                return highScorelist;
                Collections.sort(List scores);
        }

                       
}

---

Thanks for taking your time

Code:

---

public class Score implements interface Comparable<Score>{

---

not sure keyword interface should be there

Yep, it's

Code:

---

public class Score implements Comparable<Score>{
  //....

---

pulbic int compareTo(Score sc1) {

Is changed to public.

Strange that eclipse didn't filed that as an error tho

It didn't fix my Collection.sort either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by al_Marshy_1981

Code:

---

public class Score implements interface Comparable<Score>{

---

not sure keyword interface should be there

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

Yep, it's

Code:

---

public class Score implements Comparable<Score>{
  //....

---

---

:Sheepish_Grin:
Oops... Missed that -- sorry!!!